Who To Vote For?
I’ve been waiting to post about the Georgia Primary until the Florida Primary was complete. It was in hope that someone would rise above the gambit of characters and help me make a clear decision. Someone definitely rose, but my decision is still anything but clear.
As much as I want to be considered an independent voter, I just can’t ever see myself voting Democrat. Their philosophy of letting Mama Gov’t take care of every person’s individual needs is just too much for me. Granted, Republicans aren’t much better with their laws to enforce morality but I agree with their fiscal policy (even though they don’t execute it very well) so I’m registered with their party.
With that said, my options are a plenty…
Well before Bush’s second term, I had decided Giuliani would be my man in the ‘08 general election and prior to announcing his candidacy he was polling well across the country. Today I hear he’s going to drop out and endorse McCain. That’s fine. Early on in this contest I decided to not vote for Rudy. I’ve never seen someone with so much going for him run a campaign so poorly (save for maybe Thompson who has already quit).
Huckabee was my front runner for a long time but that was only due to his strong advocacy for the FairTax. Now that we’re closer to actually voting, I’m having serious second thoughts. He’s too religious. I don’t want anyone to use the strong arm of the law to tell me the way in which I should live. As long as I’m not directly hurting someone else, leave me alone.
Ron Paul’s message sounds inspiring. He has no chance but a vote for him could help ’send a message’ that old school conservatives have lost touch with reality. He says he’ll sign the FairTax which is a +100 in his column but his ‘pull out now and leave the Iraqis to figure it out on their own’ is a little simpleminded in my opinion.
McCain has come out of nowhere to be a serious contender. I actually voted for him in the ‘00 primary. Now I’m not too sure. He thinks the FairTax won’t work, major loss of points. He’s weak on immigration. Other than that, he’s not a bad candidate. Unfortunately those two points are two of my biggest issues.
Romney is a pathetic.
I’m clueless.
related articles
- This Weekend (August 27th, 2008)
- Grown Up? (May 23rd, 2008)
- Gattica (May 2nd, 2008)
- Today is a Happy Day (May 1st, 2008)
- Go Panthers! (April 16th, 2008)
January 30th, 2008 at 10:13 am
I’m a right wing fascist, but I’ll probably end up voting for Obama in the general election (if Hillary wins the primary, I have no clue what I’ll do. Move, maybe.)
I’ll toss in for Ron Paul on Super Tuesday, regardless of his chances. Why? Because the best thing that can probably come out of this election for Republicans is a big fucking object lesson in how far they’ve strayed from their roots. Sigh.
January 30th, 2008 at 10:19 am
Yeah, I feel ya on the Paul comment. I cannot vote for Obama though. Just can’t do it. Anyone that wants to establish socialized medicine or is an advocate for income redistribution is a solid ‘NO’ in my book.
Next Tuesday should be interesting. I’m certain I won’t have a decision until I’m in the booth.
January 30th, 2008 at 11:13 am
I’m voting today and am still torn. Ugh. They all suck.
January 30th, 2008 at 11:41 am
[...] everything. Take Gravel away and it really is a dead heat between all the other candidates. Dave posted about politics today so I thought I would as well. So will I really vote for Gravel on Super Tuesday next week? [...]
January 30th, 2008 at 11:50 am
Two reasons why I can stomach an Obama vote, and they’re both pretty well summed up by Andrew Sullivan (who incidentally, is a Righty).
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200712/obama
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/01/obama-as-head-o.html
Yes, I read Obama’s policy stance, and I pretty much disagree with all of them. But that’s nearly as true for the Republican candidates, as well (except for Paul, of course, who has been cast as a fringe outsider because he actually embodies the forgotten ideals of what the Republican party should be embracing.)
So any vote in the general election I cast is for somebody with shitty policy. I might as well choose somebody who can bring an end to the baby-boomer Dems mindset.
(That, in the long-term, would be a Good Thing for the right.)
January 30th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
I really can’t argue with your logic. Maybe with a Dem in office for 4 years, the Repubs will go back to their roots and find the ‘right’ candidate.
January 31st, 2008 at 7:54 am
While I know you cannot vote for a Democrat in the primary if you aren’t registered as one, all of you might consider at least looking at the Democratic candidates a bit. Especially since you seem so frustrated with the Republican party, which I think most of this country is. They have seriously fucked up this country in the last 7 1/2 years. I am personally an independent, but lean Democrat for a variety of personal reasons.
While I will not argue for any of them because I don’t even know yet (though Edwards just dropped out, so it is basically Hillary or Obama), this country needs a change and I am hoping that one of them will provide it. I think that many of the things that Rebublicans consider “extreme” in their platforms will not happen (i.e. Universal Healthcare or their version of it - NEVER HAPPEN). On the other hand, in the area of education and immigration, things might change. As an educator, I’m ready for anything but the shit the Republicans have created.
Just a thought…explore both sides and take the best you can find. Whoever wins this election has a quite a job on their hands.
January 31st, 2008 at 10:02 am
Jenn, while I absolutely respect your opinion, I just can’t do it. As much as the Republicans have acted un-Republican like the past 7 1/2 years, I just cannot vote Democrat.
Hillary is a cunt. Obama is … well … a Democrat.
Any version of socialized medicine is bad and for the record, not the role of government to begin with. As for education, I support getting rid of the Board of Education (federal). Let the states decide how they want to do it. There is no reason for the feds to get involved. Other than Paul, I doubt any candidate would support that idea.
January 31st, 2008 at 1:51 pm
I will not bore you all with my opinion of republicans and what they have done to this country in the last 7 1/2 years, but I did want to share some info I just found on the Georgia SOS website about voting in the primaries by party. I am registered as an independent and got a little scared when I read Jenn’s post “While I know you cannot vote for a Democrat in the primary if you aren’t registered as one”. According to the secretary of state website “In the state of Georgia, you do not have to register by political party to vote in the state’s regular primaries or general elections.”
I am not sure who the “best” candidate is, but just about any of them have to be better than the idiot that has been “in charge” for the last eight years.
February 1st, 2008 at 6:43 am
If you can’t bring yourself to ever vote for a Democrat, even in a primary, then you’re missing out on some actual electoral fun. My most enjoyable election nights were the primaries where Cynthia McKinney lost. Here’s hoping that Tuesday night is that much fun when Hillary loses, too!
Oh yeah, why even bother being faithful to the GOP? Have they done ANYTHING to make you think that they’re ever going to move towards your quite conservative policies?
February 1st, 2008 at 6:50 am
Just because I can’t bring myself to vote Democrat, doesn’t mean I won’t be watching their side of the primary, too. Election nights are like the Super Bowl night at my place. I grab a 12 pack of beer and plop in front of the TV flipping from Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC seeing how each are covering the races. Fun times!
I’m far from being faithful to the GOP. At this point, my vote is going to Paul who the GOP hates.
February 1st, 2008 at 7:51 am
“I grab a 12 pack of beer and plop in front of the TV ” ….is that much different from most nights at your place?
February 3rd, 2008 at 10:32 pm
I guess I’m for Romney, mainly due to his leadership, intelligence, and track record of achievement. McCain is an awful DC-insider. He’s part of the problem, not the solution.
The only advantage McCain has is his ability to beat Hillary/Obama. The most important thing to me is GOP control of the Senate, which is very unlikely, but would allow me to stomach McCain a lot more easily.
Like you, I was for Rudy. His stupid strategy has really ruined things for the GOP, as they had no acceptable fallback.
February 4th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Mitt Romney believes that Joseph Smith found a bunch of magic golden plates, which (with the help of a magic seeing stone, in a hat) he was able to dictate the scripture “Jesus Christ Part II: Jesus Visits North America”.
Yeah, let’s put that guy in charge. (And Tom Cruise for VP!)
February 4th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
Equally as ridiculous as the tenets of X-tianity,which all of our prior presidents professed to believe, without your derision? Why this subtle difference matters to you is a mystery.
February 4th, 2008 at 9:08 pm
No, I think the others are silly, too. The magic rock / golden plates people just strike me as *way* more gullible.